ePoster

Early cortical network deficits underlying abnormal stimulus perception in Shank3b+/- mice

Elena Montagni, Manuel Ambrosone, Alessandra Martello, Daniele M. Papetti, Daniela Besozzi, Lorenzo Curti, Laura Baroncelli, Alessio Masi, Guido Mannaioni, Francesco S. Pavone, Anna L. A. Mascaro
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Elena Montagni, Manuel Ambrosone, Alessandra Martello, Daniele M. Papetti, Daniela Besozzi, Lorenzo Curti, Laura Baroncelli, Alessio Masi, Guido Mannaioni, Francesco S. Pavone, Anna L. A. Mascaro

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a range of neurodevelopmental disorders affecting social communication and behavior. Brain network dysfunctions are supported as a neurobiological basis for ASDs. Thus, functional connectivity (FC) studies are pivotal for unraveling autism-related large-scale network dynamics. Although functional imaging studies during development can be instrumental for autism diagnosis, longitudinal studies of FC consolidation over development to adulthood are missing in mice. SHANK3 is a postsynaptic scaffolding protein of excitatory synapses. Its deletion or mutation is well-known to cause a rare genetic disorder named Phelan-McDermid syndrome, which is characterized by atypical sensory processing. In awake resting-state Shank3 mutant mice (Shank3b+/+ and Shank3b+/-), we longitudinally monitored cortical network alterations from post-natal day 45 (P45) to P90 using mesoscopic Ca2+ imaging of excitatory neurons. We found that hyper-connectivity of the barrel cortices plays a significant role in the emergence of aberrant FC patterns, starting at a juvenile age (P45). By leveraging whisker stimulation, we also revealed increased excitability of the stimulated barrelfield cortex associated with strong bilateral hyperconnectivity of the motor cortices in Shank3b+/- mice. Finally, we developed an artificial intelligence model based on a convolutional neural network for the automatic classification of autism deficits from the distributed cortical responses evoked by whisker stimulation. These findings highlight a key pattern of cortical dysfunction associated with autism and a potential early target for non-invasive translational treatments.

Unique ID: fens-24/early-cortical-network-deficits-underlying-70d1de4d